Herman lichtenstein



(N0 M0de1-) H. LIGHTYBNSTEIN- UMBRELLA'RUNNER.

Patented July l1,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN LICHTENSTEIN, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL `YV. RICHARDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

uMBRELLA-RUNNER.

SPECIFIGATIONforming part of Letters Patent No.. 501,089, dated July 1 1, 1893. Application filed August l, 1891. Serial No. 402.024. (No model.)

nations hereinafter fully set forth, whereby I am enabled to produce an extremely strong and compact umbrella, free from cutting edges and capable of quick and easy repair.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a perspective view showing the upper end of the stick and the top notch of an umbrella em bodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the runner; Fig. 3, a perspective view showing the parts of the top notch and the cap which clamps the covering of the umbrella to the top notch,separated and drawn to an enlarged scale to better illustrate their construction; Fig. 4, a sectional view of the top notch and cap with the parts assembled as in use; Fig. 5, a perspective view showing the parts of the runner separated and likewise drawn to an enlarged scale; and Fig. 6, a sectional view of the same with the parts assembled as when in use.

Under the common and almost universal construction, the top notch and the runner of umbrellas consist each of a tube provided with an annular enlargement which is circumferentially grooved and radially slotted,-the groove serving to receivea wire which passes through eyes or holes in the ends of the ribs or braces, and the slots serving to receive the ends of the ribs or braces. Under such construction it is necessary in order to remove or replace a defective rib or brace, that all the ribs or braces be disconnected or released, and considerable care and labor are involved in removing or replacing said rib or brace. Moreover, as ordinarily constructed, and from the necessities of the case, such top notches and runners present sharp angles at the outer circumference of the annular enlargement, which angles or edges in the case of the top notch and to some extent with the runner,-

cut the cloth or covering of the umbrella in a comparatively short time, thereby greatly disguring the same or necessitating repair.

Various attempts have been made to overcome some or all of the objections incident to the old and common construction above noted, and in some cases the fastening wires common to the ribs or braces, have been dispensed with, and the ribs or braces have been 6o provided with T heads, spherical enlargements or similar' formations adapted to be seated in sockets or cavities formed in the top notch or runner. My invention is in this same direction, but is designed to obviate cer- 6 5 tain defects which are present in such prior constructions as I am acquainted with, and particularly to improve the appearance, increase the strength, and facilitate the opening and closing of the top notch and runner, 7o as will more clearly appear from the following description.

Referring again to the drawings,-A indicates the stick or stad of an umbrella, parasol or like article, B the top notch, O the clamping cap or ferrule, D the runner,E the ribs, F the braces, and G the cloth or covering.

The stick 0r staff A maybe of any suitable material, as wood or metal, and except that I am enabled bymy construction to make the 8o same lighter than heretofore, said stan? will be of the usual character.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the top notch consists of two parts,-an internally threaded outer shell a, the lower end of which, as theS 5 umbrella is carried when open, is enlarged by spinning, swaging, or otherwise, to form the hollow or channeled swell b, which in turn is provided with radial slots c;-and an Aexternally threaded inner tube d of a length 9o somewhat greater than that of the shell a.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the inner edge or lip of that portion of the shell a which forms the swell or enlargement b, is brought into line with the interior surface or wall of the body a, and is threaded in the same manner as said body, so that when the shell a is screwed upon the tube d, to the position shown in Fig. 4, the edge or lip of the swell b engages with and is held by the threads of 10o the tube el. As a consequence of this construction the tongues e separating the slots c,

and which are formed by the cutting of said slots, are held at their extremities and materially strengthened against the outward strain to which they are more or less subjected in the use of the umbrella. This threading of the lip or edge of the tongues e is not however, essential, though deemed quite advantageous. It is suflicient in many cases that the inner tube d be screwed into the shell a far enough to cover and close the inner side of the channel f formed within the swell or enlargement Z). In either case, it will be seen, there is no joint or shoulder or angle of any kind upon the exterior surface of the swell or enlargement b, and there is consequently nothing whatever to cut or injure the fabric of which the umbrella cover is made.

The ribs of the umbrella, as also the braces, are formed with T heads or ends, or in other words, are iiattened and provided on opposite sides with projecting journals g of a diameter to fit freely within the cavity or channel f, and each of a length a trilie less than half the width of the tongues e between the slots c, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. To insert these heads into the top notch, the inner tube d is backed out, or the shell a is run down upon said tube until the lower end of the latter is on line with or above the upper side of the recess or channel f, whereupon the ribs are inserted from within the central opening and their iiatteued necks are drawn into the slots c until their journals g take a bearing in the channel f, as indicated in Fig. 4, after which the parts are brought into the relation indicated in Fig. 4 by screwing one into or upon the other.

To clamp the fabric of which the cover is made, to the top notch, I provide the cap C, shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4, the lower portion of said cap being of a size and form to pass freely but closely down over the shell or body a of the top notch, and its lower end being spread out or ared as indicated, to conform to the curvature of the swell or enlargement b. The fabric Gr being nicely tted over the swell or enlargement h and resting upon its upper surface, is clamped thereto by the cap C, which latter is internally threaded as shown at h to screw upon the protruding upper end of the inner tube CZ of the top notch, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4. By this arrangement I am enabled not only to effectively clamp and hold the fabric, but also to secure the cap C firmly in place, and by means of the cap to hide any fastening that may be employed to secure the tube d tothe stick or staff A.

The construction of the runner D is to all intents and purposes the same as that of the top notch, except as to the position of the parts, the swell or enlargement h being at the upper side of the lower end of the shell a,

speaking with reference to the position in which the umbrella is held while open and in USB.

The body of the externally threaded inner tube d is, in the case of the runner, extended downward a suitable distance to form a guide, and also to permit the formation of the slot t' through which the catch or fastening works by which the umbrella is held closed, and the threading of the exterior of said tube d extends downward only so far as is necessary to permit the upper end of the tube to properly pass within the opening or space at the mouth of the swell or enlargement b, or in other words, to pass by and engage with the inner ends of the lips c.

The slots c both of the top notch and of the runner, are cut to such depth in the direction of the axis as is necessary to permit the proper spreading of the umbrella frame, but no deeper, and the end walls of said slots consequently serve as stops to limit the movement of the ribs and braces, and in this way give a far greater stiffness to the umbrella than is attainable by the ordinary construction,-ef fectually preventing the turning of the umbrella inside out by any ordinary wind such as would be sufficient to effect this result with the common construction.

The tube d may be secured to the staff or stick by screwing upon the same, by indentation, by a fastening pin, or in any equivalent manner, but in any event serves to strengthen the stick or staff at the point at which it is applied; whereas under former constructions, a through pin or a suitable fastening device above and below the top notch has universally been employed to prevent movement of the top notch upon the stick or stad. As a consequence of the difference above noted I am enabled to employ a much smaller and lighter stick or staff than has been practicable heretofore, and consequently to make a lighter and neater umbrella or parasol.

The advantages of the construction thus set forth may be brieiiy stated as follows: irst, the appearance of the umbrella is materially improved and its size reduced; second, owing to the manner of applying the tube d to the stick or staff, and of fitting the cover upon and securing it to the top notch, a perfectly watertight joint is produced at that point; third, the twisting of the umbrella due to the looseness at the joints under former constructions, is obviated; fourth, the umbrella is far less liable to be turned inside out; fifth, there are no angles or sharp edges to cut the cover; sixth, repairs can be made with great facility and ease; and finally, there being no iron wire employed as heretofore in the top notch, therusting at that point, and consequent injury to the cover, is obviated.

I do not claim broadly atop notch or a runner having a channeled enlargement slotted j to receive T headed or spherical-ended ribs or braces.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A top notch or runner consisting of a shell or body a, having a swell or enlargement b, and tongues c, the interior of the shell c and the ends of the lips c being threaded; and

IOO

IIO

an inner tube d externally threaded to fitthe threads of the shell a and lipse.

2.' In combination with top notch B consisting of shell a and tube d, cover G, and 5 clamping cap C, screwed upon the tube d, substantially as shown. Y v f 3. In a top notch or runner, a shell d provided With channeled enlargement b and withv radial slots c, said slots having their end Walls ro located substantially as shown to form stops for the ribs or braces.

4. In combination with shell a, having radial slots c', ribs or braces extending through said slots and adapted to .bear against the end Walls of the slots When the umbrella is spread I 5 or opened.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

- Y HERMAN LICHTENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

ANNIE E. BRADY, MAGGIE A. LYNN. 

